“Bangalore INDIA BIO 2013” Inaugurated

Shri. I.S.N. Prasad, introduced all the dignitaries and invited the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri. Jagadish Shettar to address the gathering.

In his address, Shri. Jagadish Shettar, said, “The Govt of Karnataka is proud to give the required leverage to the innovation of Biotechnology. Out of top 10 industries in India, top 5 are in Bangalore and hence truly called as the science capital of India. As the Prime Minister declared that this Decade as the Decade of Innovation and Karnataka has already decided to make a few MOU’s, which pave the path of growth and development. Karnataka has 26% of its revenue from Biotech industries and companies. The First BT policy was signed in the year of 2001 and was revised during the year 2009. The policy aims for the necessary infrastructure like education to the young especially in innovative science, Biofuels, AgriBiotech etc. The BT finishing school which is approved by the Govt. of India, will play a major role in boosting the industry which in-fact grants 5000Rs per month for a period of 3 years. The Biotech Park which is tentatively to start operating 2 years from now will add more strength to the Biotech industry. The new MoUs signed will enable us to realise the 100 billion USD mark by 2025. We are grateful to the Vision Group for all the inputs and efforts.”

Dr. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, released the ABLE report “Opportunities for Fermentation Industry & Biotechnology.” In her talk at the inauguration, she spoke on the Biotech industry perspective. She began by congratulating Prof. Vijay Ragavan on his recent achievements and emphasised the importance of the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India.”

Further she said, “Around 7.5 billion dollar invested in biotech industry in a very large scale. In India biotech has raised new standards in bio agriculture with an markable achievement in BT cotton, which is now under cultivation from many years and its production raised to 90% in India, which is almost doubled the yield. Now India has become an exporter of BT cotton rather then an importer. The net production of cotton is changed from 225 kilo /hectare to 510 kilo/hectare. Biotechnology also flourished well in health care sector. India is one of the largest country in vaccine production these days and Bio similar these are very expensive drugs presently but this will be resolved in the future. Indian industries has also been found to be the part of other industries as well like in Bio Energy and Bio Fuel and on fossils fuels.”

“Soon we should have solutions to the physically challenged individuals and in the near future we should have solutions for the visually impaired. From past 10 years so many biotech companies established in India. Government of India play catalyzing role in incubating fund which ultimately play an key role enabling the biotech sector to flourish. There are several challenges for the Biotech industry ahead. Some of the challenges for industry is intellectual property and access to capital market. But we are sure to overcome all these challenges and with several recent innovations in the various field in India. Food, health care, sustainability, energy are issues that have to be addressed. Protecting the intellectual property and affordable innovation is a must. We must developed diagnostics to enhance the talent but still we seen much difficulty around the world. We need to have the affordable innovation around. One of them is Cross board partnership which is an affordable dreams in INDIA, its regarding regulators such as GMO, clinical research, biodiversity that have to be brain stormed, which will eventually drive growth and development to the country.” she added.

Mr. David Flores, said, “Today i’ll be sharing lot’s of ideas, give some inputs on the development on the field of science and technology. I made my first trip to India in the year 2001 and sky is the limit for India. Over the years when I visited Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore one of the direct question which I faced was, Will talent, technology or capital drive India Biotechnology? We looked into this issue and tried to analyse how much has changed and how much has not changed. Whether we could create noble ideas and innovation in developing technology and to increase capital input, create jobs, influx of capital, to create capital or pursuit geo-political goals and to perceive in the world. There are several bench marks and policies which have not been met and one of them is transparent regulatory issue. One thing which we also needed to discuss was whether India’s goal is to achieve local or global needs. When I came back the next year to Bangalore India Bio i saw lots of development taking place in the field of bio fuel, Biomedicine, research in GM crops, recombinant proteins and regenerative medicine that’s our initial experience with biotech industry. When we look at the bench mark in 2009 we faced problem on meeting with the deadline to develop new drugs and many other targets were not achieved. Even the regulatory reimbursement was higher. By 2007 the Growth rate of R&D Drug Company started to decline and by 2015 it was expected to be flat. We started to look into the Health care spending crisis through global perspective, i.e., affordable health care for everyone but it is not an easy task since it put’s ever one at risk. It puts innovation at risk too. But when we look at the year 2012 there has been a tremendous change than the expected, we have seen more VC funding than expected, more A round funding than expected and it was the 4th largest fundraising year. It has been reported that the public biotech investment made big gains. This year we have witnessed the industry have reinvented itself globally. Big companies are investing more on R&D companies and the R&D companies are looking for investors who are ready to invest despite the risk of losing their investment.”

“More new drugs have been identified by Bio-tech companies than drug companies and looking at the progress which has been made it is not yet clear whether biotech is a major player in the health care sector and concluded saying India’s biotech sector can develop with joint ventures and global collaborations.”

Ms. Anne MacColl, Exchanging the MoU between Scottish Development International, Scotland and KBITS said, “The Scottish engagement in life sciences with the Bangalore India Bio will create a sustainable partnership between India and Scotland. In India Karnataka is the capital of biotechnology (world leading technology innovation) all the Evidences tells us that companies tend to grow in this sector on Employment skills and taking new ideas about technology innovation. Health company becomes more competitive and devoted, clearly challenged ahead. There is Increasing opportunity in medical innovations and scientific industries such as started with dollyship, NRT,p53 repression gene regulating economic conditions, stem cells, animal human drug device, stroke diabetes, translations of medicines. Collaborations between Scotland and India will be a major boost to the Biotech industries. There are many similarities between the life sciences industries in India and Scotland. Exchanging MOU between Scottish and Karnataka will soon built up life specific scientific significance. It will share world class accommodation, seeking significant influence. In-fact we need to build up lifetime partnership between Karnataka and Scotland for human welfare, Since from past five years 850 million pounds invested in the research institute for the uprooted innovation to meet the society demands.”

Exchanging their MoU between Georgia Department of Economic Development, Atlanta, Georgia, USA and KBITS, Mr. Mark Lytle, said, “we are very pleased to sign a collaboration with the State of Karnataka. Economic development works on the sales and marketing in export, tourism, Industrial, IT, music, film, Georgia centres of innovation is an effort that seeks to accelerate the growth of six of the state’s strategic industries: aerospace, agribusiness , Life science, logistics, energy, manufacturing. It will provide strategic oversight and general management of the centres of innovations. Connects high growth potential companies with university research and industry expertise. Connecting business with centre researchers is to help commercialize new products, services and business models in these industries. Georgia is leading in vaccines as well as immunological research and clinical trials. We do a lot of about legislative work, by this work many health IT companies are recognised and 120 companies are working for more development. Two years ago Georgia collaborated with Bangalore and now are are doing it across Karnataka. There is opportunity for more collaboration between the biotech industries for better growth.”

Shri S.V. Ranganath, IAS, said, “This event shows the biotech power of Bangalore and India. BT is the open to all walks of life and gives the necessary tool to face the present day challenges such as health, food shortage, diseases etc. BioTechnology has given great opportunity to a country like India with 1.2 billion populations which have good potential to tap the benefits of pharmaceuticals and agro Biotech. India is particularly concerned with Agro and diseases control at affordable price with quality to rural part. India with a huge population and minimal resource is greatly working on affordable innovations in the field of Agro, Pharma; health. It is estimated that by 2050 the population of the world will be 9 billion and most of it being from developing countries. The heat of the population will be felt in the field of food, fuel, and health.”

He also stated that R&D cost is very much less in India compared to other countries. And said, “India has high manpower and talent in the field of life science, engineering science and R&D. And there by the MNC’s are looking at India for collaboration for the above reasons. Bangalore has many number of R&D in public and private sector. Bangalore is the hub for R&D and constitutes to about 56% of the Indian R&D. State Govt has taken initiatives to provide 4000 acres of land for the development of Biotech and other sciences. Indian Institute of nano science has also allotted 14 acres for the same purpose. State Govt is greatly thankful to the entire visionaries who have raised Bangalore to International standards.”

The ABLE Report “Indian Biotechnology: The roadmap to the Next Decade and beyond and “Funding Your Science Idea” of Atharva Life Sciences Consulting, was released by Prof. K. Vijay Raghavan.